Sadlier Level F - Unit 1

approbation

(n.) the expression of approval or favorable opinion, praise; official approval SYN: commendation, sanction ANT: disapproval, condemnation, censure

assuage

(v.) to make easier or milder, relieve; to quiet, calm; to put an end to, appease, satisfy, quench SYN: mitigate, alleviate, slake, allay ANT: intensify, aggravate, exacerbate

coalition

(n.) a combination, union, or merger for some specific purpose SYN: alliance, league, federation, combine ANT: splinter group

decadence

(n.) decline, decay, or deterioration; a condition or period of decline or decay; excessive self-indulgence SYN: degeneration, corruption ANT: rise, growth, development, maturation

elicit

(v.) to draw forth, bring out from some source (such as another person) SYN: call forth, evoke, extract, educe ANT: repress, quash, squelch, stifle

expostulate

(v.) to attempt to dissuade someone from some course or decision by earnest reasoning SYN: protest, remonstrate, complain

hackneyed

(adj.) used so often as to lack freshness or originality SYN: banal, trite, commonplace, corny ANT: new, fresh, novel, original

hiatus

(n.) a gap, opening, break (in the sense of having an element missing) SYN: pause, lacuna ANT: continuity, continuation

innuendo

(n.) a hint, indirect suggestion, or reference (often in a derogatory sense) SYN: insinuation, intimation ANT: direct statement

intercede

(v.) to plead on behalf of someone else; to serve as a third party or go-between in a disagreement SYN: intervene, mediate

jaded

(adj.) wearied, worn-out, dulled (in the sense of being satiated by excessive indulgence) SYN: sated, surfeited, cloyed ANT: unspoiled, uncloyed

lurid

(adj.) causing shock, horror, or revulsion; sensational; pale or sallow in color; terrible or passionate in intensity or lack of restraint SYN: gruesome, gory, grisly, baleful, ghastly ANT: pleasant, attractive, appealing, wholesome

meritorious

(adj.) worthy, deserving recognition and praise SYN: praiseworthy, laudable, commendable ANT: blameworthy, reprehensible, discreditable

petulant

(adj.) peevish, annoyed by trifles, easily irritated and upset SYN: irritable, testy, waspish ANT: even-tempered, placid, serene, amiable

prerogative

(n.) a special right or privilege; a special quality showing excellence SYN: perquisite, perk

provincial

(adj.) pertaining to an outlying area; local; narrow in mind or outlook, countrified in the sense of being limited and backward; of a simple, plain design that originated in the countryside; (n.) a person with a narrow point of view; a person from an outlying area; a soldier from a province or colony SYN: narrow-minded, parochial, insular, naive ANT: cosmopolitan, catholic, broad-minded

simulate

(v.) to make a pretense of, imitate; to show the outer signs of SYN: feign, pretend, affect

transcend

(v.) to rise above or beyond, exceed SYN: surpass, outstrip

umbrage

(n.) shade cast by trees; foliage giving shade; an overshadowing influence or power; offense, resentment; a vague suspicion SYN: irritation, pique, annoyance ANT: pleasure, delight, satisfaction

unctuous

(adj.) excessively smooth or smug; trying too hard to give an impression of earnestness, sincerity, or piety; fatty, oily; pliable SYN: mealymouthed, servile, fawning, greasy ANT: gruff, blunt